Mumbai: BMC Clarifies Mayor Ritu Tawde Publicity Row Over ₹25 Lakh Claim, Says No Separate Agency Appointed

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) clarified on Wednesday that Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde's office has not appointed a separate agency for her publicity. This comes after reports claimed that a separate organization had been hired to handle the Mayor's social media and publicity campaigns, with an estimated expense of nearly Rs 25 lakh.

The Mumbai BMC operating multiple social media platforms and had appointed M/s Runtime Solutions Private Limited two years ago to manage them through a prescribed tender process. The agency not only handles the civic body's social media presence but also provides technical manpower. The BMC proposed extending the agency's contract for another year, from August 2026 to July 2027, to continue managing the Municipal Corporation's social media platforms.

The extension was approved by the Standing Committee. The Mumbai BMC confirmed that the Mayor's office social media page is being managed by the same agency. Mayor Ritu Tawde did not suggest appointing a separate agency for publicity activities. The BMC urged news outlets to avoid spreading what it called false or misleading information regarding the Mumbai Mayor.